Sunday, December 30, 2012

Morton Family Prayer- 2004

Dear Lord,

Christmas is celebration, but the traditions that cluster sweetly around this day have significance only if they translate the heart's intention- which is the yearning of the human spirit to encompass and express faith, hope and love. Without this intention, the gift is bare, and the celebration a touch of tinsel, and the time with family is without meaning. These attributes, exemplifying the divine spark in mankind-and in this family, were at the first Christmas and have survived the onslaughts of relentless time.

Faith, hope and love, which cannot be bought or sold or bartered, but only given away are the deep wellsprings of Christmas celebration. These are the gifts without price, the ornaments incapable of imitation, discovered only within oneself and therefore unique. They are not always easy to come by, but they are in unlimited supply in all of us. It is in your name Lord that we will celebrate The Spirit of Christmas by rejoicing the season and having the wisdom to provide a little extra to those around us. Beginning with me, we’ll recognize the miracles of Christmas.

We’ll seek out a forgotten friend & write a letter.
Share some a treasure of yours & make it a treasure of others.
Encourage youth to see the miracles around them.
Prove our loyalty with a deed.
Keep a promise.
Find the time.
Forego a grudge.
Forgive an enemy.
Listen.
Try to understand.
Think first of someone else.
Appreciate others.
Be kind; be gentle.
Laugh a little. Laugh a lot
Laugh a little more.
Deserve confidence.
Decry complacency.
Express your gratitude.
Welcome & reward a stranger.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.
Speak your love.
Speak it again.
Speak it loudly

O Lord
bless our family
and all its members and friends;
and most importantly, bind us together by your love.

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About This Site

My grandparents met in the 1930's and had three children. They had more children who then had more children. And each Christmas, that huge family gathered together at the Christmas holiday for family time, a meal and presents. It also included a prayer. What was originally written by grandfather, and then written by my father, then handed off to be written and read by me now has my own son doing the reading duties (with us co-writing it together.) These are each of those prayers going back many decades.

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I believe in God, family, truth between people, the power of love.I believe that there is God in all of us.Michael Landon